Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[hyzenthlay]

Autumnhearth, thanks for gathering up all those links!

Christine9, thanks for the pictures of your Wellie! She is just lovely, and you can really see what a nice face she has in that first pic. I also love how the Wellies' necks/hackles just seem to glow.

Finnie, I am SOO jealous of your feed store. We really need something like that here--like, yesterday. I would love to have someplace like that, not only for convenience but also to give me a second shot at the breeds I want when Meyer's is sold out! I am close enough to drive to Meyer, which is what I do, but another option for small quantities of sexed pullet chicks in fun breeds would be so nice. It's a couple of hours drive to Meyer, so not convenient to run out there too often, but it's worth the field trip to the hatchery to ensure that my babies make it home safe and sound--plus, it's fun to go, honestly.

 

[carikermoon]

Autumnhearth, thanks for gathering up all those links!

Christine9, thanks for the pictures of your Wellie!  She is just lovely, and you can really see what a nice face she has in that first pic.  I also love how the Wellies' necks/hackles just seem to glow.  

Finnie, I am SOO jealous of your feed store.  We really need something like that here--like, yesterday.  I would love to have someplace like that, not only for convenience but also to give me a second shot at the breeds I want when Meyer's is sold out!    I am close enough to drive to Meyer, which is what I do, but another option for small quantities of sexed pullet chicks in fun breeds would be so nice.  It's a couple of hours drive to Meyer, so not convenient to run out there too often, but it's worth the field trip to the hatchery to ensure that my babies make it home safe and sound--plus, it's fun to go, honestly.

I am so jealous of those of you close enough to just drive to Meyer's. My feed store is sourced by Ideal...and this is the first year that the feed store has offered sexed day old chicks (that weren't sex-linked). They are also branching out with more "unusual breeds" but not the Wellingtons and Dorkings that y'all have made me crave.

 

[Finnie]

I just got back from the feed store with my three new chicks! I'm letting them settle in, find the food, etc. before I harass them with my camera.

I didn't take the time to look at their feed prices, but I think when I looked before, all their varieties were special organic, non-GMO types, and were a lot more expensive that what I get at TSC. (Of course) Really, all their supplies and things have a much higher markup. That is due to the neighborhood they are located in. For people who want to live in the city, not far from downtown, but in a safe area, this neighborhood is in high demand, so rents and property values are higher than other neighborhoods. And it's a long drive to get out to the suburbs where the TSCs are located, so the feed store has a convenience factor to it. It is also a gift boutique.

The people who run it are super friendly. I almost came home with the wrong chicks, because the employee on duty was subbing for their chicken expert. They had three kinds of chicks in each tub, which were labelled, and he had been told what colors were each breed. But he didn't know the fine points, such as BLRW coming in black, blue or splash lacing, so the chicks are different shades. He just knew they were the "chipmunk" ones. And in the same bin, he knew the grey ones were the olive eggers. (Which can also come in blue black or splash, but without chipmunk stripes.)

So I was picking one BLRW and two OEs, and I wanted to lean towards darker for the BLRW and lighter for the OE, hoping it would be splash. What neither the man nor I realized was that on the splash BLRW, the chipmunk marks are very faded. So I picked two pale yellow and grey chicks for my OEs, and thought they were cute with some orange hints on them.

Driving home, it hit me that those orange hints must be faded chipmunk marks, and that I had probably taken splash BLRW on accident. So I turned around and went back. The man was very nice and he got down and separated out all the "chipmunk" chicks from the Grey ones, and did a count, and sure enough, the two I had did make his numbers come out incorrect. So I put the two back, and picked one really dark OE instead. And since I hadn't wanted dark, but light, then he just refunded my money for the other chick. He was very thankful that I had realized my mistake and came back, because most of the chicks were reserved, and I would have messed up someone else's order! And I was very thankful that they didn't mind taking the extra chick back. They could easily have had a policy that chicks are non-refundable. (They had spare OEs that weren't reserved.)

So I started out reserving a RIR, a BLRW and one OE, added a spare OE (I thought) and then returning the spare. I was a good girl- I came home with only the number I went there to buy. (Lol, even though I tried to be bad and get one extra! Got saved from Chicken Math this time at least.)

I keep going in to check that the new chicks are eating and drinking. Once I'm satisfied that they are doing fine, I will pick them up and take pictures. I have learned that is futile to take pics when they are under the red light.

Thank you to anyone who bothered to read my droning on.

 

[christine9]

Update on hatch attempt number 2:
Ok, so today is day 13. I candled a day early because my temps have been up and down with the crazy weather we're having. Anyway, I've got 17 eggs still in there. A few are questionable, but we'll see. I think I'm more excited about my girls' eggs hatching than the ones I paid for!

For those that don't remenber, I ordered 12 eggs from a breeder last year and only three hatched. All three were boys. We have to do better this time! Although, that's how I ended up with my boy Pep! He's fantastic and hopefully will pass on some good genes. Him mixed with my Meyers girls should give me black and blue ameraucanas, and olive eggers this time next week

 

[autumnhearth]

Awesome Finnie can't wait to see pics! Fingers crossed for you Christine!

So I had a lovely afternoon, a friend of mine I used to work with came over with her 2 year old son to meet the chicks and hens, she was so genuinely excited by both and brought a real camera and sent me the pictures after, it puts my iPhone to shame.






She was enamored with the fluffy chicken butts!


Light Brahma


White Rock


Me and my Wellie. This one was taken by me yesterday.

Also the American Hemp bedding came today! Just in time to add to the brooder, we really like it so far. I will add it to the coop soon, but need to clean it out first.

 

[MamaShell]

Update on hatch attempt number 2:
Ok, so today is day 13. I candled a day early because my temps have been up and down with the crazy weather we're having. Anyway, I've got 17 eggs still in there. A few are questionable, but we'll see. I think I'm more excited about my girls' eggs hatching than the ones I paid for!

For those that don't remenber, I ordered 12 eggs from a breeder last year and only three hatched. All three were boys. We have to do better this time! Although, that's how I ended up with my boy Pep! He's fantastic and hopefully will pass on some good genes. Him mixed with my Meyers girls should give me black and blue ameraucanas, and olive eggers this time next week

Happy hatching!!!

 

[MamaShell]

Awesome Finnie can't wait to see pics! Fingers crossed for you Christine! So I had a lovely afternoon, a friend of mine I used to work with came over with her 2 year old son to meet the chicks and hens, she was so genuinely excited by both and brought a real camera and sent me the pictures after, it puts my iPhone to shame. She was enamored with the fluffy chicken butts! Light Brahma White Rock Me and my Wellie. This one was taken by me yesterday. Also the American Hemp bedding came today! Just in time to add to the brooder, we really like it so far. I will add it to the coop soon, but need to clean it out first.

Awesome photos!!! Love the fluffy butt

 

[Finnie]

Here are the chicks I got today!

Blue Laced Red Wyandotte:






Olive Egger:






Rhode Island Red:




And here's what my brooder looks like now:



I was all set to give the new chicks names from the Waltons, like Erin and Elizabeth. And Olivia for the olive egger. But once I got them home, those names didn't seem to fit. So I'll wait to see what comes to mind.

Autumnhearth, your hens are really beautiful! ( And I love fluffy chicken butt photos too.)

 

[JavaJones]

Those are some nice chicks Finnie.

Jeff

 

[Finnie]

Those are some nice chicks Finnie.

Jeff

Thank you Jeff.

Hey- I just looked at your location- my mom lives in Holiday!